Love Remembers
by Neutron Phantom
Summary: Troy and Gabriella’s relationship is on the rocks after Troy hears what may be the best news of his life. But Gabriella doesn’t think she can handle life on the road, so she decides to leave. TxG. Vignette series to Love Remembers by Craig Morgan.
1. Packed Suitcases and Shattered Dreams

Love Remembers

_a Vignette Series by Neutron Phantom_

**Author's Note: **So this is the first time I've tried doing something like this, but I thought it might be fun. I love writing stories that are inspired by my favorite songs (hence most of my songfics), so I've decided to try writing a series of short vignettes that have to do with the song "Love Remembers" by Craig Morgan. Each verse of the song will deal with an individual vignette. Each verse will be at the beginning of each vignette that it pertains to. This first vignette will be in present tense (well, actually the future as they are adults unlike in the movies, but you get the idea), and each vignette that follows will be events from the past and are memories. The very last one will be back in present tense, but may not necessarily have to do with the lyrics. But you'll just have to wait and see. :D I hope you enjoy, as I know I'll have fun writing these!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything that pertains to High School Musical 1, 2, or 3. I do though have ownership papers to Zac Efron, and have him handcuffed to my futon in my dorm room at the moment. :D (I'm kidding. Though that would be completely amazing.)

**Summary: **Vignette series to "Love Remembers" by Craig Morgan. Troy and Gabriella's relationship is on the rocks after Troy hears what may be the best news of his life. But Gabriella doesn't think she can handle life on the road, so she decides to leave. Can their love remember their best times and bring them together again?

* * *

_Vignette #1 – __Packed Suitcases and Shattered Dreams_

_You can't forget what love was wearing  
When it walked out your front door  
Where you fell down to your knees  
And can't forget the kind of suitcase  
That was packed out on the sidewalk  
While you cried there beggin' please  
But love remembers_

* * *

"Gabriella, please… Don't go… We can talk about this," Troy pleaded softly as his hands intertwined through hers while standing at the foot of the staircase near the front door. His bright azure eyes were full of sorrow as they gazed deeply into her chocolate brown ones. He brought his right hand that entangled with her left up to her cheek, brushing it softly with the back of his hand.

A hitched sigh escaped her lips. "I don't think I have any other choice, Troy. We've talked about it as much we could. It's for the best," Gabriella whispered, releasing her hand from his gentle grasp before caressing his cheek with her fingers. His face automatically leaned into her touch, not wanting to lose the tender contact between them.

"I don't have to take the offer, Gabriella. I can't imagine my life without you… and if a life on the road takes you away from me, then I'm not so sure I want to play professional basketball."

Troy was willing to give up everything he'd worked his whole life for, just to keep the love of his life _in _his life. When he'd been graced with a phone call one late Saturday night saying he was first pick for the Los Angeles Lakers draft, he was ecstatic and couldn't wait to share the wonderful news with Gabriella—his other half, his soulmate, the one he'd promised forever to and soon would seal that promise with a vow. She was away for the weekend in Albuquerque for her mother's birthday when Troy got the phone call, so he'd have to wait until Sunday night when she arrived home to tell her.

When she'd turned up at home, Troy had ambushed her with a billion kisses at the door and homemade dinner on the kitchen table. At dinner, he broke the news and Gabriella congratulated him, but there was hesitance in the way she spoke. Troy couldn't comprehend why she didn't seem happy for him; she'd always wanted him to pursue his dreams whatever they may be.

Later that night, Gabriella had finally confessed why she hadn't been as excited as she should have about Troy's offer to play for the Lakers. It would have been hard for them to raise a family once they were married (if they decided to have one) while Troy was traveling with the team, and Gabriella didn't think a life on the road was a life she could handle. Every year of her childhood and most of her teenage years were spent on the move due to her mother's job transferring her all around the mainland states. She'd convinced herself that Troy deserved this once-in-a-lifetime chance, but in order for him to take it, she'd have to leave. This was the hardest goodbye she'd ever have to make, harder than leaving him for an early honors college program during their senior year of high school.

Gabriella's solemn expression turned into one of incredulity at his statement. "Troy, you've been dreaming about playing for the Lakers as far back as I can remember, and I know for a fact you dreamt of playing for them before we even knew each other existed. Your dream has become a reality, and you can't just give it up because of me…" Her fingers brushed the ends of his sandy brown hair away from his eyes—the eyes she loved so, so much.

"My dream is being with you. Forever." His thumb absentmindedly traced over the ring around the fourth finger of Gabriella's left hand as he spoke. "And if playing professional basketball is the barrier between us and forever, then I'll break that barrier faster than you can walk out that front door."

"I love you, Wildcat," she said, her voice cracking, "but I just think you need to take the offer. Someday you'll regret it if you don't."

Troy pulled Gabriella close to him, her head resting against his chest as he buried his face in her hair, committing the smell of her freesia shampoo to memory. "The only thing I'd ever regret is if I'd never asked you to marry me." As soon as he said those words, his body went rigid. Their wedding. What would happen to their wedding plans if she was leaving, and if he was going to be an NBA all-star?

"Oh, Troy…" Gabriella broke the contact between them and looked down at her left hand, where the solitaire princess-cut diamond glistened in the afternoon sunlight that shone through the windows. "I know your heart is breaking because mine is doing the same, but this wedding just isn't going to happen anytime soon now." Her fingers hovered over the ring for a few seconds before grasping it. But before her fingers could ease it off, Troy's own hand stopped her.

"No, Gabriella. Keep it, please. I don't think I could handle not thinking of us being together, even though you won't be with me anymore… But please, just give me a little peace of mind and keep the ring. That's all I ask."

"Okay, Troy." A small smile played on her lips, but it didn't feel genuine. A large sigh escaped her lips as she noticed a bright yellow car parked next to the curb from out the window. "Well, I'd better go. My taxi is waiting." Her hand reached for the handle of the suitcase that rested near her feet.

Troy sighed, his eyes filling to the brim with tears, but none broke through the barrier to fall down his cheeks. He reached up and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear before kissing her forehead softly. "I'll always love you, Gabriella. No matter what."

"Goodbye, Wildcat. Knock those Lakers dead." Gabriella reached up and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, leaving a deep burning sensation behind when she pulled back. Troy couldn't move a muscle as he watched her walk out the front doors and down the sidewalk to the waiting taxi.

* * *

I know it's short, but most vignettes are supposed to be. The other ones may be longer, it just depends on how it goes. :) Please review and tell me what you think so far!


	2. Taking Loves Place

**Author's Note: **I was hoping for more reviews on the first installment, but hey, you win some you lose some. (Sorry this took a little long to post, I was in Florida on vacation, and I've been busy trying to get things ready to head back to college.) This vignette takes place still in the present, but fast-forward a year. The next couple chapters will actually go back in time to some of Troy's best memories of the two while they were still together before flipping back to the present, and then repeat the pattern. On to vignette numero dos!

**Disclaimer: **HSM doesn't belong to me. Zac I would love to put a claim on, though. That boy is _fine_. ;)

* * *

_Vignette #2 – __Taking Love's Place_

_You can lie and tell yourself  
You're over it and someone else will take love's place  
And this is for the best  
You can lie in that bed  
In a stranger's arms reachin' for comfort  
Close your eyes and still get no rest_

* * *

_One Year Later._

-

"Troy, your place is _incredible_. I'm just surprised you aren't living in a mansion like the rest of the NBA players." Claire Laughlin's brown eyes traveled along the walls of Troy's bedroom as she hung her shawl over his upholstered desk chair and kicked off her ridiculously-high black stilettos.

He loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt as he sat on the edge of his bed. "It's not like you haven't seen it before."

"I know," the strawberry-blonde replied, ignoring the slightly irritated edge to his comment, "but every time it just strikes me as being different, I guess." The woman's short black cocktail dress slid from her body to the floor, leaving her clad in nothing but a satin slip that would have passed for something in a Victoria's Secret catalogue. She made her way over to the bed where Troy was laying atop the covers in a pair of his boxers, staring up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head, his mind apparently a thousand miles away. Claire crawled across the bed toward him and straddled his lap. Her fingers traced along the defined muscles of his abs as she contemplated the far-away expression on his face.

"You all right, Troy? You're really tense." Her hands now moved along his abs into a full-blown massage, trailing their way up to his chest and shoulders to work out the kinks.

He slightly twitched his head in her direction, as if snapping out of a daydream. "Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine Claire. Just…a little stiff from the game tonight is all."

"Well, you're lucky that I'm great with my hands." Claire smirked and leaned forward, capturing Troy's lips in a searing kiss. His returning kiss was guarded, but he didn't stop her. Her long manicured fingers massaged his tight shoulders as her lips worked in a similar motion. She could feel the muscles around his clavicles loosen up slightly, but he seemed to not be letting himself relax. Something was wrong.

"Troy," the blonde said after pulling her anxious lips from his, "are you _sure_ you're okay? You've been edgy all evening, and you even won the game tonight. You should be excited and relaxed, not tense and have your mind off in Neverland. What is up with you?" Claire crawled off of Troy from her straddled position and onto the other side of the bed, her brown eyes searching his blue ones for answers.

The basketball star sighed before sitting up against the headboard of his bed and running a hand through his disheveled sandy-brown hair. Did he really feel like he should tell her? After all, Claire _did_ know that he had a long history with someone he'd met in high school, but it ended just before he'd begun his training with the Lakers. Although, he'd never really felt obligated to tell the blonde woman—whose eyes _always_ reminded him of his lost love's own set—_all_ the details about his entire relationship with Gabriella Montez-Would-Have-Been-Bolton. It was too personal for him to share with his current girlfriend, and broke his heart even thinking about it.

Should he tell her that he'd sent tickets for tonight's game against the Knicks to the last address Gabriella had left for him? And tell Claire that when he checked with the ticket office after the game, they told him that those tickets hadn't been scanned in? He knew if he told Claire that the reason he was distant and a little touchy tonight was because the ex-love of his life didn't show up to his NBA game, she wouldn't be too happy about it. Sure, there were probably many legitimate reasons why Gabriella didn't come, but Troy couldn't wrap his head around the idea of Gabriella being completely over him. He wasn't over her yet, that was for damn sure.

"Do you remember me telling you about my high school sweetheart?" Troy began, finally deciding to tell Claire the reasons behind his mood.

The strawberry-blonde nodded, a slightly apprehensive expression present on her pretty features.

"Well, I don't know what compelled me to do it, but… I sent tickets for the game tonight to the address she left me with the last time I heard from her. But she didn't come." He noticed Claire's eyebrows raise up in shock, and her mouth dropped slightly. He added as an afterthought, "Just hear me out, okay? Before you say anything. You have a right to be mad at me, but you wanted to know." Claire snapped her mouth shut and relaxed her face, but nodded for him to continue.

"Anyways, she didn't come. There was no way I'd have been able to spot her in the crowd anyway, so I went down to the ticket office after the game and they said those tickets had never been checked in. She'd promised me that she would come to a game just once, and I knew that she was going to be in the area this weekend. So I sent her the tickets hoping to see her. But I guess she changed her mind about coming to a game."

Claire just sat there quietly opposite Troy on his queen bed, reflecting on what Troy had just told her. She'd always had a gut feeling that he wasn't over his ex of who he seldom spoke, but she never really questioned it until now. Whenever he did speak of her, his eyes lit up and it was like he was a completely different person. Maybe she was just his rebound after the hard breakup. Claire really couldn't blame him though. She knew how hard it was to get over someone you loved, even after they broke your heart, whether it was intentional or not. Before Troy, she'd been in a similar situation with someone she'd met in college.

She lowered her head as her eyes traced the golden paisley pattern on the burgundy comforter, her fingers toying with a hanging thread from the seam. "You still love her, don't you." It was more of a statement than a question, and Troy merely nodded. She paused for a minute and continued. "I never thought I would ask this, but… Can I see what she looks like? I'm just curious of how beautiful the woman who holds your heart is." A faint smile graced her lips as she turned her attention back to Troy. He didn't say a word, but he reached over to his nightstand and dug to the bottom, where a framed photo of the two of them rested.

"This is me and Gabriella Montez, the night I asked her to marry me." He handed the picture to Claire who took it carefully and examined it closely.

"Wow, Troy. She is really something."

"Yeah, she is."

Claire handed him back the photo. "Then what are you doing with me, Troy? Go out there and find her. Go tell her why you still need her in your life."

Troy's expression was skeptical. "My current girlfriend is telling me to go out and find my _ex-_fiancé_?_ What is this world coming to?"

She stifled a laugh. "If she really means that much to you, then do it. I know what it was like to be in love once, so don't miss your chance before it becomes way too late and you're stuck being a very eligible bachelor."

"Bachelor? What?"

"Yes, Troy." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "I'm not going to be the one stopping you from finding the one your heart sings for. But I'll always be here if you ever need anything. Seriously Troy. Get out there and win her back." Claire climbed out of Troy's bed and walked over to where her black frilly cocktail dress was still resting on the floor. Troy watched her every move as she pulled it over her slip and strapped her shoes back on her feet, grasping onto the idea of what was happening with him and Claire. He couldn't believe how cool she was with all of this. He guessed that because she had once been in his situation, she understood completely. With her shawl and purse draped over her arm, she walked back over to Troy's side of the bed and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Good luck, Troy. Gabriella will be one lucky woman when she's back in your life."

Troy stood up and pulled Claire in for one last hug. "Thanks, Claire. You take care of yourself, okay?"

"Don't you worry about me. Promise me you'll call if you find Gabriella, or anything of the sort. I want to know how this all turns out."

"Promise."

She waved goodbye with a smile before striding out of his bedroom as fast as high heels could take her, leaving Troy to comprehend everything that had happened in those few short minutes since he told Claire why he was a bit upset. He was going to find Gabriella, no matter what the stakes would be. But for now, his exhausted mind told him, he could find her in his dreams as he curled back into his—and Gabriella's—four-poster queen bed.

* * *

At first I wasn't pleased with how this started out, but then I revised it a bit and I loved it! :) PLZPLZPLZ review. I love them, and they really motivate me to get the next installment up. Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR! :D


	3. Forever and a Hammock

**Author's Note: **I want to thank you guys for the lovely reviews on the second chapter! Believe it or not, I actually started this vignette chapter as soon as I read a few of them. Told you reviews motivate me! :) This next installment goes back in time a few years. I sort of picture it as Troy's dream that he had when he fell asleep after Claire left in the last chapter, but the dream is an actual memory, and so will be the next chapter. Enjoy, and don't forget to review! :D

**Disclaimer: **High School Musical doesn't belong to me. Sadly. :(

* * *

_Vignette #3: __Forever and a Hammock_

'_Cause love remembers  
The smell of a summer day  
Lying in a hammock over fresh cut grass  
And the promise of forever_

* * *

_Five Years Ago._

-

The bright green leaves of the tall twin oak trees in Gabriella Montez's backyard rustled in the slight breeze on the late Sunday summer afternoon. The California sun was warm overhead as it shone down on the two occupants of the woven white hammock that laced around the trunks of the trees. The backyard was quiet, except for the occasional bird chirping from the trees overhead and the faint whirr of traffic as it passed the front of the house. The pair of college students who were relaxing in the hammock were silent and wrapped up in their own thoughts and each other, all the while enjoying the other's company.

Summer was quickly coming to an end as the fall semester of their sophomore year of college drew nearer day by day. They wanted to treasure what time they had left together under the summer sun before their studies and exams tore them away from one another, with the exception of promised visiting weekends and scheduled breaks; and right now, they cherished that time by just being with one another.

"Only two more weeks left of this," Troy Bolton said softly, breaking through the calm.

Gabriella sighed and rested her arm over his chest, cuddling just a bit closer to his side, if at all possible. "And then it's back to the books. And back to the stage and gym for you." The curly brunette lifted her finger to Troy's nose, poking it playfully. He chuckled in response.

"And it's all thanks to you."

"Hey, I had nothing to do with you and basketball."

Troy laughed again. "No, but do you think I would be _anywhere_ near a stage in college if it weren't for you?"

"Maybe, maybe not." A smirk teased Gabriella's lips as she traced patterns along his defined chest with her fingertips. "But someday I know you're going to make it big, whether it be in the theater aspect or not. You're too good at everything you do."

"Be careful, my ego is at a dangerously high level right now." Troy mirrored Gabriella's previous smirk as the tip of his nose traced along Gabriella's temple. A small giggle escaped from her lips—one of Troy's favorite sounds in the whole world. He kissed along the trail his nose left, and then pulled back and rested his head against the woven cotton of the hammock. "But seriously Gabriella. We have two weeks until our second year of college starts and two more years until we graduate again. And then you'll be spending time after that in law school and I'll be searching for a job…Our future is just flying by."

Gabriella shifted her position next to Troy so her arms were folded across his chest. Troy reflexively placed his right arm gently on her back, affectionately tracing up and down her spine with his fingers. She rested her chin on her hands, capturing apprehensive sharp blue eyes with her chocolate ones. "I think that's just part of growing up," she replied.

"When you're young, you don't have a care in the world and time seems to pass slowly. But now we're older and so much more focused on everything that time just flies right on by and we don't even realize it. Two years ago I was wishing that everything would come to a stop… but to be honest, I think I'm ready for the future, no matter how fast it hits us."

Troy became quiet for a few moments as he took in Gabriella's words. He could remember her saying that she wished time would halt, or at least slow down; but Gabriella had grown up so much since then, and she was now ready to face her future head-on. She'd always hoped that Troy was somewhere written on her slate of the future, but only time would tell. And that time was sooner than she thought.

"Yeah, I believe you're right, Miss Montez. And I've been doing a lot of thinking about my own future, actually." His fingers that were making feather-light trails upon her back came to a stop in the dip of her spine, just above the curve of her bottom.

Gabriella's expression turned playful and mocking. "Oh, really, Mr. Bolton? I do hope you didn't strain your brain too badly."

"Ha, ha, funny." He tossed a matching playful glance back at Gabriella before turning to a more serious expression. "No really, Gabriella. I've just been running this certain situation through my head for a while, but I've been to afraid to run it by you because I thought it might be a little soon." Troy ran a nervous hand through his hair, an absentminded habit he'd developed over the years.

"You can tell me anything, Troy. I have an open mind, you know that."

"I know, and that's why I finally decided to bring it up. I – I know we're still young and all, but… when I think about where I'll be in five or ten years, no matter how many times I change the scenario, you're always there with me. You mean the world and much, _much_ more than that to me, Gabriella. I want you to be my future, since you've already been a huge part of my past and present. But don't think of this right now as a proposal… just more of a promise—at least until we graduate. Then, my love, you can be surprised when I hold out the perfect ring in front of you." Troy's right hand cupped Gabriella's cheek as he brushed his thumb along her high cheekbone, catching a few tears as they strayed from her warm chocolate eyes. Her tiny trembling hands took Troy's from her cheek and brought it to her lips; she softly pressed a kiss into his slightly calloused palm before pressing it back to her cheek.

"Oh, Troy… You have no idea how long I've wished for you to say that. I accept your promise with all my heart." Gabriella tilted her tear-stricken head towards Troy and sealed his promise with a passion-filled kiss. After realizing oxygen was vital, lips separated and foreheads touched, a smile appearing on both blissful faces.

The sound of a door springing open on its hinges broke the two from their moment, followed by the scent of fresh-baked chocolate wafting through the afternoon breeze. Troy and Gabriella turned their attention towards the back door of the Montez home where Maria Montez stood, a green apron tied around her waist that was spattered with flour.

"Hey you two, I just made some brownies and—I was interrupting again, wasn't I?"

Gabriella smiled and shook her head. "No Mom, it's fine. They smell delicious."

"You're telling me!" Troy exclaimed, his mouth nearly watering from the scent of his favorite brownies.

Maria untied the apron from her hips and waved the two teenagers over. "Come in and get some while they're warm, then! I'll pour you some glasses of milk too."

Troy and Gabriella slowly rolled their way out of the hammock one at a time. Troy took his girlfriend's hand and led her to the back door, pulling her close enough to sneak a kiss into her russet waves and to whisper in her ear. "_I promise you'll be mine forever, Gabriella Montez._"

And he kept that promise to the day he entered the jewelers.

* * *

So as I was writing this one, I didn't feel very pleased with it. But after reading it the whole way through, I think this one might be my favorite so far. :) What do you think? Constructive criticism is what I feed on! :D

Also, in this vignette it is mentioned that Gabriella would be attending law school right about the time the first chapter takes place. For story purposes, she had been taking night classes so not to interfere with their relationship, and that is where Gabriella had gone when the taxi came--she moved closer to her law school. :)


	4. The Love That Couldn't Wait

**Author's Note: **Thank you all once again for your reviews! I just can't STOP writing these! I swear, Troyella is like an addiction that I can't and don't want to quit. :) Sorry this one took so long to finish and be posted! My new college semester started and I haven't had time to do anything. The days fly by and homework gets in the way, and blah blah blah. I'll try and get the rest posted as soon as I'm able to, but it won't be as quickly as the others have been.

This next installment is the chapter that makes this story's rating an **M** for lemons. **You have been warned.** Oh, and yes, Troy STILL has his beat up white truck, but it's had some major improvements over the years and it runs pretty well now…just for story purposes.

**Disclaimer: **High School Musical is no property of mine, though I _do_ own High School Musical licensed merchandise. :)

* * *

_Vignette #4 – The Love That Couldn't Wait_

_Yeah love remembers  
The sound of the pouring rain  
Beatin' down on the top of a car  
On the side of the road  
Where it couldn't wait_

* * *

_Three years after the promise._

-

The tension inside the cab of the white Chevy truck grew thicker as each mile that passed ticked on the odometer. It was an unnerving and strained silence between the two occupants of the truck as irritated thoughts of the previous hour flew through their heads. The brunette in the passenger's seat crossed her arms over her chest to emphasize her agitation with the driver. The weather outside of the truck matched their moods perfectly; the night was darkened even more from the blanket of clouds covering the moon and stars, and the rain pattered heavily on the roof and bed of the truck as the windshield wipers furiously shook the water from the windshield.

"You know what, Troy?" the irate young woman muttered, breaking the tense silence, "Pull over. I'm walking."

"Gabriella, you've _got_ to be kidding. It's fucking raining! I don't care how pissed you are at me, or even _why_ for that matter, I'm not letting you out of this truck until we get home." Troy tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

She turned to Troy in her seat, intensely glaring at him underneath her mascaraed eyelashes. "Troy. Stop the damn truck. _Now_. I'm not riding any farther with you." She grabbed her golden clutch purse that matched the threading on her cocktail party dress from the dashboard and placed her hand hear the door handle. Gabriella's eyes darted to Troy, daring him to keep his foot on the truck's accelerator.

"Damnit, Gabriella. You know I love you, but why do you have to be so fucking stubborn all the time?"

"_Stubborn?_ I am not being stubborn, I'm _pissed_! NOW STOP THE DAMN TRUCK!" Her clutch made contact with Troy's right bicep as it flew from her hand in her frustration with him, sending her cell phone to the floor as the purse snapped open, followed by her matching wallet. Troy's expression now matched Gabriella's as he downshifted, finally giving in to Gabriella as he slowed his truck to a stop. She snatched her phone and wallet from the floor and placed them back into her purse as she felt Troy's Chevy come to a halt on the shoulder of the road.

"Fine, are you happy? I stopped." He turned the key in the ignition to the off position. He pulled out the key and tossed it to the floor near the spot where Gabriella's phone and wallet landed. Gabriella hadn't took notice of his small action though, as she was already out the door with her high heels in one hand and her clutch in the other. She hadn't walked far before she noticed the sound of Troy's driver side door slam shut, even through the noise the pouring rain was making on the metal roof and bed of the truck. Gabriella turned around swiftly and watched angrily as her boyfriend of four years sloshed through the puddles toward her.

The brunette—whose hair was now drenched and clinging to her cheeks and neck—grunted irately aloud, resisting the urge to once again chuck her ruined purse at Troy. "What the hell are you doing Troy?" She glared directly into those piercing cobalt eyes, which was a bad move on her account. No matter how angry she was with him, those eyes of his would break her every time. Especially now that his dripping wet bangs hung directly above them.

"Trying to figure out why the hell you're so mad at me! I try to get you to have fun tonight, and all you do is snap at me in return!" Troy took a few steps closer to the soaking wet brunette, who at that moment was making his mouth water. Her ivory dress that was laced with gold thread clung to her every curve, sending Troy's libido into overdrive.

"How do you not know why I'm mad at you?! You are so _dense_ sometimes!" Why _was_ she mad at him again? At that moment, her mind went blank of everything that had made her angry. The way his eyes caught hers sent her mind into a frenzy, and the sight of his wet shirt clinging to his defined abdominal muscles didn't help either.

Daringly, Troy took a few more steps closer to his girlfriend who was frozen to her spot in the grass. "I don't think you even remember why you're so flustered. But both of us know it doesn't matter anyway." His voice was barely above a whisper now, as he was close enough to Gabriella he could almost feel her heart beating.

Gabriella felt her breath catch in her throat as his intoxicating scent passed over her senses, sending a slight shiver down her spine. Damn him and his sexy cologne. And eyes. And _everything. _Why did he have to be so fucking attractive when she was supposed to be angry with him? "Wh—why doesn't it matter, Troy?" Her voice was scarcely audible now; she didn't have the urge to yell anymore.

"Because," he whispered, his lips mere centimeters from her gloss-covered ones as he leaned his head down to her level, "you look so fucking _sexy_ right now, and these fights end the same way every time."

"Mmmh…" Gabriella whimpered; her mind was at a loss for all words. Troy took advantage of her sudden weakness and ravished her lips in a blazing kiss that exuded both of their frustrations from the preceding minutes. Gabriella couldn't take it anymore, so she wound her arms around his neck and pulled herself as close to him as possible. Their tongues explored each other's mouths, memorizing every curve and corner as they battled for dominance in the kiss. Troy's hands trailed down her drenched backside, giving it a quick squeeze before reaching the back of her thighs. He lifted her to his waist, and she complied by wrapping her bare legs and feet around him.

Troy's lips shied away from hers as they trailed along her jaw, down her neck, and across her collarbone. Gabriella threw her head back in response with a gasp, threading her fingers through his sodden hair as if to press his mouth closer to her hot skin. He pulled away reluctantly to concentrate on his path back to the truck, but the sexy creature attached to his abdomen sent his mind reeling by trailing her tongue along his jawbone.

"_Shit_, Gabriella… You're going to…kill me until we get home." His voice faltered as her lips placed an open-mouthed kiss behind his ear. Troy freed a hand from her backside as they reached the passenger's side of his Chevrolet so he could open the door. He released Gabriella from his torso grudgingly as he placed her on the seat, immediately missing the flaming contact between them.

Breathlessly, she replied, "What makes you think we're waiting until we get home? You started this here, and we're going to finish it here." Gabriella's lips captured his once again, pulling him firm against her as she pressed her back to the bench seats.

"Baby, we could get caught… We're on a state highway…"

"I don't care," she replied, a mischievous glint flickering in her eye for a fraction of a second. Gabriella's hands shuffled to Troy's chest after he closed the passenger door behind him, her fingers rapidly popping the buttons of his dress shirt out of the buttonholes. He slid his arms from the sleeves and tossed the soaked shirt to the floor. Troy all but ripped the dress from Gabriella's petite frame, flinging it over the edge of the seat.

He ghosted her hot, wet skin with his fingertips causing Gabriella to shiver, trailing down her flat stomach to the waistband of her lacy panties. Troy slipped his hand beneath, causing Gabriella to hiss as she bucked her hips to meet his hand. Her heated walls clenched around his fingers as he slid in and out of her at a steady pace. Troy's lips found the peak of Gabriella's left breast, causing her to arch her back as if to make his lips closer to her taut nipples than they already were. His fingers slid faster as Gabriella's tight walls began to constrict; his thumb rubbed the tender bundle of nerves to help Gabriella reach her climax faster. The sweat-drenched brunette cried her lover's name out in pleasure before coming down from her elated high, releasing the tension between them as her climax subdued.

"Troy," she panted, reaching for the button and zipper of his now-drying khaki dress pants, "I—I need you _now._ Please…"

It took longer than both Gabriella and Troy had hoped to remove the rest of the clothing that barricaded them from becoming one in the front seat of his Chevy truck. Though they were both in the blissful mindset of being able to make love right away after such tension between them before, it wasn't the most _comfortable_ place they'd ever had sex. Sure, the seatbelt buckle was making itself noticeable in the back of Gabriella's ribcage and Troy's legs were much too long for him to be spread out cozily above Gabriella's petite figure in the short cab of the truck, but they were too deep in ecstasy to stop now. And it was sort of a _thrilling_ idea that they could be caught at any moment. The steady beat of rain upon metal was a sensual sound for the two as their bodies combined in a sexual dance.

Troy's thrusts into Gabriella's nether regions gradually increased in speed as he could feel his orgasm building. He could hear Gabi's breathing ascend to a faster pace as he could feel her tightening around his length. He could tell she was close, but he was sure he was going to let go before Gabriella.

"_Fuck_, Gabi," he grunted, just before he released his seed into Gabriella. It wasn't much longer until Gabriella came, her muscles relaxing as Troy collapsed on top of her, capturing her swollen lips in another soft kiss. He wiped the few strands of loose hair that had stuck to her sweaty forehead aside, adoring how incredibly sexy she looked in the afterglow of one round of mind-blowing sex.

"We probably should get home," Troy whispered breathlessly, "before we really do get caught."

Gabriella sat up in agreement, reaching for her dress that draped over the bench seats. She tugged it over her shoulders, and Troy offered to zip up the back. After they were both redressed and Troy was finally able to think straight enough to drive them home, he ignited the engine back to life. He pulled the truck back onto the rain-drenched highway, downshifting to a lower gear to drive carefully through the rain.

The brunette scooted to the middle of the bench seat so she could be close to Troy once again; her fingers intertwined through his as they rested upon his right thigh. Her other free hand played with the sandy-brown strands of damp hair at the nape of his neck, brushing the sensitive skin there with her fingertips. Gabriella reached her lips to Troy's ear and nibbled on his earlobe, sending Troy's mind reeling once again.

"You know, I'm still a little pissed," the brown-eyed seductress purred into his ear.

The back of her hand brushed against the zipper of Troy's khakis, and she smiled when she felt the automatic reaction beneath her hand. Troy swallowed hard, trying his best to concentrate more on the road than his tempting girlfriend, who would be torturing him the rest of the ten minute drive. Knowing he was going to fail, his foot pressed hard on the clutch as he shifted, pushing the accelerator to the safest speed in the downpour of rain so they could make it home in record time.

"Don't worry, baby. I already know how to fix that."

* * *

So that was my first lemon EVER. And I actually am kinda pleased with how it turned out. What did you think? Plz plz plz plz REVIEW. :)


	5. Shelter in a Bottle

**Author's Note: **Sorry this update took so long! I've had a large homework load lately, so it's been keeping me from writing. :( This chapter may seem a little out-of-character for Troy, but it's an important part of the song, and I found a way to work it in with this story. It may be a bit depressing, but don't fret. Every cloud has a silver lining. ;) Thanks again for your reviews; it's always great for an author to hear feedback on her stories. This vignette is back into the present once again, so it is basically a continuation of the second chapter. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **High School Musical? Not mine. The plot bunnies of this story? My property.

* * *

_Vignette #5 – Shelter in a Bottle_

_You might convince yourself  
There's shelter in a bottle  
For a while there it might numb the pain  
But when it hits you, then it hits you  
That love's still gone and you'll be wishin'  
That you'd poured it down the drain_

* * *

It was a stupid idea to come there.

A stupid, _stupid _idea.

Did he really think he could show up unexpected to her apartment in downtown Los Angeles and find her there waiting with open arms for him? Even though she hadn't used the tickets to his Lakers game he sent to her, in his heart he knew that somehow she'd be waiting for him.

He believed it, until he knocked on the door numbered C-21 and was greeted instead by a man in a pair of plaid boxer shorts who was towel-drying his raven hair. Troy froze in his spot as he saw the man standing in what was supposed to be his ex-fiancé's apartment threshold. Questions raced through both of their minds; the dark tanned man who was just out of the shower wondering why one of the most famous men in the United States was standing at his door with flowers in his trembling hands, and the basketball player trying to figure out why a half-naked man was standing where Gabriella should have been.

Maybe he'd written the address down wrong.

Then again, he couldn't mistake the scent of her freesia shampoo—the aroma he would _never_ forget—as it wafted through the open door.

He could also spot her favorite Burberry purse he'd bought her two Christmases ago as it rested on the coffee table in front of a new looking couch. So if this really was her apartment, who was this guy standing half-naked in her doorway? Troy and Gabriella had agreed that it was all right to see other people (hence his most recent ex-girlfriend who'd told him to come here in the first place), but Troy just couldn't imagine his Gabriella with another man.

Not many words were exchanged between the two men who stood face to face in those few moments—apart from the stuttering of the dark-haired man at the sight of his favorite Los Angeles Laker—but the biggest exchange of the two particularly handsome men was the contact of Troy's large knuckles to the boxer-clad man's nose. He didn't know what compelled him to do it; strong feelings of jealousy clouded his better judgment before he realized the severity of his actions.

"What the _fuck_ is your problem, man?!" The male in the boxers held the towel that was previously drying his hair to his slightly bleeding nose, his dark eyes boring angrily into sharp blue ones.

Troy dropped the bouquet of daisies to the hardwood floor of the hall, clenched his fists at his sides, and swallowed hard. "If you_ ever_ hurt Gabriella in any way, I swear to God, my fist will attend to your face _seven times_ as hard. Have a nice fucking day." His Converse-clad foot kicked the daisies to the side of the door in frustration with himself (since he normally wasn't a violent person) and with the man in front of him. Before the guy in pain could reply, Troy was already at the elevator, tears pushing their way through his eyelids as he pressed the down button as many times as needed to get the elevator to arrive faster.

-

"Hey, man, get yourself together. We're closing soon."

Troy felt slight pressure upon his bicep where he assumed the person who spoke to him had nudged his arm, but his head was pounding and spinning so he couldn't quite comprehend much of what was happening around him. He lifted his head from where it had rested on the top of his arm as it lay on the countertop, his fingers lightly grasping something cold and smooth. Troy opened his mouth to speak, but his words slurred into a messy, indecipherable sentence. Seven beers downed and twenty dollars spent, Troy was a complete wreck upon that barstool. He was never much of a drinker, except the occasional beer at a celebratory Lakers after-party and a small glass of wine at a candlelight dinner with—

_Gabriella._ She was the reason he was drowning himself tonight. Well, it wasn't Gabriella directly—it was the thought of his brunette angel making love to another man that drove him to drink. His knuckles still ached from where they had made contact with the side of that man's nose, and he couldn't help but feel guilt for his rash actions, even through all the buzzing that was clouding his brain. He knew this wasn't how Gabriella would want him to react; he knew that she believed he was capable of making rational decisions, but he felt like he had no choice anymore. Perhaps the alcohol would numb the dull ache in the bottom of his heart; maybe it would let her memories fade from all the corners of his mind.

Frustrated, the bartender pinched the bridge of his nose with impatience and pried the bottle of Coors from the drunken man at the counter. "I'll call you a cab, man. You're completely gone." He reached for the phone beneath the counter, but he was interrupted by the faint sound of a bell and a pretty blonde woman barging through the door. The bartender placed the phone back into the base and glanced up at the woman.

"Sorry Miss, but we're closing. I'm trying to get this man a cab so I can get the hell out of here… But if you'd like, you can come home with me," the bartender said, suggestively raising an eyebrow. The blonde ignored his futile efforts at a one-night-stand with an eye roll and instead walked over to Troy, who was halfway to passing out.

"Not interested. I'm here to pick him up. I was in a cab and saw his car outside, so I knew something was up. Just help me get him to the car will you?" The blonde shook the drunken man's shoulders in an attempt to bring him out of his current state. "Troy, come on, get up. It's me, Claire."

"Claire... 'briella is go—hic—gone." Troy tipsily grabbed her arm and cradled it to his chest, his drunken state bringing out his sensitive side.

"I know Troy," she whispered apologetically. "Come on, let's get you home."

"Wait a minute," the bartender interrupted, "is that _Troy Bolton?_ Los Angeles Lakers superstar in the flesh? I knew he looked familiar!"

Claire rubbed her temples in frustration and replied, "Yes, it is. And if you blab about this incident to _any_ of the tabloids, I will personally make sure your little bar here will be out of business forever and make your life a living hell. Believe me, I have connections."

"Only if you get me an autograph."

"Fine, I'll get you a fucking autograph. Now help me get him into the God damned car."

The bartender smiled cheekily and came around to Troy's other side. He helped Claire drag a half-passed-out Troy out the door to the passenger side of his car. She fetched his keys from his front pocket and unlocked the door, carefully buckling him into the seat. The drive home was quiet, as Troy had fallen asleep with his face pressed flush against the window, his beer breath fogging up the window. Claire tried to refrain from chuckling quietly at the sight. They'd arrived at his home a few minutes later, and she had to wake him to get him out of the car. She guided his stumbling legs all the way into his living room where he'd officially passed out on the couch.

-

Troy woke from his rugged slumber around ten with his head pounding, the smell of fresh coffee lingering in the air. He didn't understand why he woke up on the couch instead of his four-poster bed, but it didn't seem that big of a deal compared to the spinning sensation happening inside his skull. He rested his back against the cushions of the couch as he held his forehead in his hand, groaning at the throbbing pain. _Good God, what happened last night? _he thought as foggy memories flashed across his mind.

"Morning, sunshine."

He tossed his head up in the direction of the voice—much too quickly for his headache situation—to see the person who'd startled him. "Claire? What are you doing here?"

"I've been here all night. I picked you up from the bar and drove you home… You were pretty trashed. Care to explain?"

She handed him a mug of coffee and a couple of Tylenol, and he nodded his head in thanks. It was the one thing he _could _remember from the past eight hours, the thing he'd tried to forget in the first place. "Gabriella moved on." The words rolled from his lips in a sigh.

Claire took a seat next to Troy on the couch, sympathetically rubbing his shoulder. "You mentioned something about that last night, and I'm really sorry. If you want to talk, I'm willing to listen…"

He took a sip of his coffee, placed it on a coaster on his coffee table, and began his story.

"I took your advice and went over to Gabriella's apartment yesterday, hoping to talk to her. But this guy answered the door practically naked… so I thought maybe I had the wrong address, but I saw some of her belongings in the living room. Suddenly all of these angry feelings overwhelmed me, and before I knew it my fist became best friends with his nose."

The blonde seated next to him nearly spit her coffee from her mouth. "You _punched_ him?! Why on earth would you punch him?"

"I don't know!" he retorted defensively. "I guess I was just upset that she's sleeping with another man who isn't me and I needed to take it out on someone… He was the closest person in my hitting range."

"Troy, no offense, but you are officially an_ idiot_. You did the same thing to Gabriella with me for almost five months. And how do you know she's even sleeping with him? What if you've got your story all wrong and you've made a complete ass of yourself?" Claire crossed her arms over her chest as her eyebrows arched high above her brown eyes.

"Why else would he be showering at her apartment and walking around in boxers?" The blue-eyed clone of Adonis rubbed his temples, his headache beginning to flare up again. "Ugh, can we not talk about this anymore? My head is throbbing and I really don't want to reminisce on how stupid I was acting yesterday."

"Sure," Claire said, her voice dropping to just above a whisper apologetically, "but only if you promise to lay off all that alcohol and to keep your fists to yourself."

Troy chuckled lightly, his mood lifting a fraction from hearing the joking edge to her tone. "Promise. I don't ever want to deal with a headache this bad again."

"Good. And hey, don't let this situation get you down. I have a feeling it's going to turn out all right. I mean, you found her didn't you? Just give it some time, Troy. Eventually she'll find out you socked her lover square in the face. I'm sure he's told her the new hot professional Los Angeles Lakers star was the one who did it. And if she's as smart as you say she is, she'll know it was you and she'll find you."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because it's not working."

Claire grinned cheekily. "I'd better get going, I've got some business to take care of. Speaking of which, I need you to sign this napkin." She handed him the napkin and a fine-tip permanent marker and noticed his quizzical expression.

"What for?"

"Just to make sure a new scandal about the alcoholic rising star basketball player doesn't make the front cover of Star magazine." Troy raised his eyebrows questioningly, but shook it off. "Take it easy, okay Troy? I just have a feeling this will all be okay in the end."

"Thanks, Claire. You always did have a way with words." She flashed him a small smile before strolling toward the front door. As soon as she was gone, Troy rushed to the kitchen as quickly as his head approved of. He reached for the top shelf in the cupboard above the oven where two unopened bottles of champagne were gathering dust, grabbed his corkscrew, and emptied both bottles down the stainless steel drain.

He would never touch a drop of alcohol without Gabriella in his life again.

* * *

So I'm not really sure how I feel about this chapter. But hey, I'll let you guys decide. Please review! :)


	6. Special Plans and Lip Gloss

**Author's Note:** Well, I was really hoping for more reviews on that last chapter—I only received one. I was surprised, even though I had a million Story Alert sign-ups in my email inbox. I figured and hoped some reviews would have come along with those. Oh well, pickers can't be choosers.

This chapter is back in the past once again, and it's probably one of my favorites so far! I hope you agree! Enjoy. :)

**Disclaimer: **Yeah, in my dreams. :(

* * *

_Vignette #6 – Special Plans and Lip Gloss_

_'Cause love remembers  
The taste of cotton candy lip gloss  
On the lips of a long kiss  
And the plans they made together_

* * *

_A year-and-a-half ago._

_-_

"Troy, we're going to get in trouble if they catch us up here, especially this late at night! We shouldn't even be in the school," the small brunette woman argued as her boyfriend nearly dragged her up the rooftop access stairs of East High. Gabriella's anxiety got the better of her as thoughts of the two of them being arrested for breaking and entering into an educational institution clouded her mind. She chewed on her gloss-covered lip idly as they climbed the metal steps.

"Don't worry, Gabi. I talked to my dad, and he convinced the janitor to stay a few extra hours tonight. He's downstairs in his office, waiting for us to leave before he does." Troy crookedly smiled, causing Gabriella's heart to skip a beat as it usually did when he grinned at her like that.

It was nearing the end of Gabriella's twenty-fourth birthday, and it had been one of the best birthdays she'd ever had. Troy had filled the day with events for the two of them to celebrate; he'd set up a picnic for lunch with her favorite foods in a quiet secluded area of the park, took her mini-golfing at the putt putt course (where he'd purposely let her kick his butt but wouldn't admit it), and even took her to a fancy Italian restaurant for dinner and let her order whatever she wanted. The sandy-brown haired man told her after dinner they had one last stop to make before they would call it a night. When she noticed they'd pulled into the East High School parking lot, Gabriella had glanced at him questioningly, but Troy only winked and told her to follow him inside, where he led her to their high school sanctuary.

"It's so breathtaking up here, Troy," Gabriella said as she rested her palms on the top of the balustrade surrounding the edge of the roof, glancing out at the late night city lights below the mountains. "I'm only used to the view during daylight, but this… this is beautiful." She felt a presence beside her as she leaned against the railing, and she glanced up to see moonlit bright cerulean eyes gazing down at her. A smile overcame his perfect and flawless features, his fingers absentmindedly playing with an ebony curl resting on her shoulder.

"It's nothing compared to how stunning you look tonight. And every day, for that matter." His long fingers moved from her hair to her soft cheek, stroking it ever-so softly as she automatically leaned into his tender touch.

Gabriella blushed, a timid smile gracing her glossy lips. "Thanks Troy."

"I only speak the truth, sweetheart. Come on, I want to show you something." Troy reached for Gabriella's hand as it still rested on the railing, and he nodded for her to follow him. She intertwined her fingers into his, a perfect fit as always. The blue-eyed man squeezed her hand gently as they walked to the large cement planter in the center of the roof, the bright full moon casting a ghost-like facade on the normally vivid plants in the middle. The couple took a seat on the edge of the planter, hands still entangled, and Gabriella found herself pressing against Troy's side, her head resting comfortably in the crevice of his neck and clavicle. Troy snaked his arm around her tiny waist and pulled her even closer to him, if only for a moment.

"What did you want to show me, Troy?" Gabriella asked, looking up at him from beneath her eyelashes. She could feel him take a large uneven breath before untangling his entwined fingers from hers. Something sparked in his eye as his cobalt orbs caught her chocolate ones, his heart threatening to pound its way out of his chest. Quicker than he realized he'd done it, his fingers grasped something velvety from the inside pocket of his jacket. In one swift move, he knelt on the floor of the roof in front of Gabriella, whose sharp intake of breath could have been heard three miles away. Her dainty hands covered her shiny, gloss-covered lips as unshed tears sparkled in her eyes as the most beautiful, shimmering solitaire diamond shone in the bright moonlight in front of her.

"Five years ago I made you a promise that one day you'd be mine forever, and tonight I want to fulfill that promise. I thought it was about time to ask you. Gabriella Anne Montez, will you marry me?" Troy's hand trembled as the ring rested in the velvet box upon his palm, awaiting her answer.

The tears finally fell from her brown eyes, and her lips formed into a blissful smile. "Oh, Troy! Of course I will!" Her arms wound around his neck quickly, the vigor of her embrace almost sending them crashing to the ground. Troy chuckled joyfully into her ear as he squeezed her middle gently. He released her, but only to slide the ring onto her left fourth finger. It glistened from the light of the moon.

"I love you," he said after taking a seat back onto the planter, tracing her cheek with his long, slightly calloused finger. Troy cupped his fiancée's chin, gently tugging her face toward his.

Gabriella's fingers brushed his soft bangs away from his eyes—the ones she was always happily drowning in. "I love you, too," she whispered, her sweet breath ghosting his face.

Troy's lips crashed softly onto her glossy ones, causing a quiet moan to erupt from Gabriella's throat. His lips lingered on hers for a few more seconds before reluctantly pulling away as he noticed a different taste on her lips than usual. A playful glint flickered in Troy's eyes, his mouth forming a smirk. "New lip gloss?"

The brunette laughed. "Yes, it's cotton candy. Do you like it?" She pursed her lips teasingly.

"Love it. You should wear it more often so I can ravish your lips and get two sweets for the price of one." Troy raised an eyebrow suggestively and winked.

"Well now you can get this deliciously sweet bargain for the rest of your life." She pressed her lips hungrily to his, running her fingers through his feathery sandy-blonde strands.

This birthday would forever go down in history as her favorite, with the moon and the stars above and Troy as her witnesses. And she'd always wear cotton candy lip gloss whenever Troy was around—just because.

* * *

Yeah, the ending is kind of cheesy, but I had to work the lip gloss in there somewhere, right? :) Please review! It would make my heart flutter like Gabriella's when he proposed!


	7. A Midnight Swim

**Author's Note: **Oh you guys, I am so sorry this took me forever to finish. I've been working on this since February. I swear, I don't know how many times I've deleted some of it and tried re-writing it because I wasn't satisfied. But somehow something snapped inside of me today that said I would finish it. AND I DID. HOLLY, THIS CHAPTER GOES OUT TO YOU BECAUSE I WOULDN'T HAVE FINISHED IT IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU. :) Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Not mine, nor will it ever be. Though the pond in the story is a figment of my imagination. :)

* * *

_Vignette #7 – A Midnight Swim_

_Yeah love remembers  
The feel of fingertips  
Running through soakin' wet hair  
On the bank after a midnight swim_

* * *

_Later that night—after the proposal. (One and a half years ago)_

_-_

Gabriella snuggled closely to her now-fiancé Troy Bolton as he steered his truck east in the dark, bound for Gabriella's mother's home after the memorable day. They had come down to see her mother for the weekend and to celebrate Gabi's birthday with her (and to celebrate the proposal once Gabriella said yes as Troy had explained his plans beforehand to Maria Montez), and were staying there until Sunday morning, where they would then drive back to Los Angeles and make it home by late Tuesday evening. The pretty brunette stretched her thin, toned legs across the bench seat, resting her head on Troy's shoulder. She could feel his lips on her hair whenever the truck reached a stop sign, and Gabriella nuzzled the crevice of his neck with her nose, followed by a gentle kiss where the tip of her nose had trailed. His long fingers trailed lazily along her side, as if it were a natural gesture for them.

"Troy," the brown-eyed beauty prodded, breaking the calm silence, "can we make just one more stop before we get home?" She knew her birthday was nearly over as time was approaching midnight, but there was one thing that Gabriella still wanted to do before her special day was done. Her index finger idly traced the top of Troy's thigh while awaiting his answer, and he automatically placed his hand atop Gabriella's as he entangled his fingers within hers, his thumb gently sweeping over the sparkling diamond on her ring finger.

He automatically glanced at the digital clock on the installed CD player to check the time. "Are you sure, babe? It's pretty late."

She nodded into his shoulder, muttering a simple yes as she kissed the fabric covering his skin. "If you're worried about my mom, don't be. She won't be woken up if we come in late; she's a heavy sleeper. Why else do you think we got away with all our bedroom picnics in high school?"

Troy chuckled, remembering, and nodded. "All right, then. Where are we headed?"

"The old pond."

The small watering hole located just outside of the Albuquerque city limits held many memories for the now-engaged couple. Gabriella and Troy had spent a weekend the summer after their senior year of high school there with all of their friends after discovering it while on a camping trip with the gang. The group of friends had spent plenty of time there playing chicken in the water, having pond-side picnics, and just soaking up the summer sun while it lasted.

Troy smiled into her russet curls, silently accepting her request as he knew how much the pond meant to her—how much it meant to _them_. They had made their own memories there that summer beneath the light of the moon, and Gabriella seemed to remember those memories as a slight blush flooded her cheeks as she mentioned the pond to him. He shifted gears and turned the truck to the direction of the pond.

-

"Come on Troy, you're such a slowpoke!" the brunette taunted as she raced ahead of her fiancé who had just stepped out of the driver's seat of his truck. He smiled as he watched Gabriella run through the dewy grass in her bare feet towards the bank of the pond. She would glance back every so often at him, her chocolate eyes beckoning him to race. Troy snickered at her expressions and kicked off his own sneakers and socks, tossing them into the bed of his truck before racing after her.

A childish laugh escaped his lips as he ran, the laugh that only Gabriella could bring out of him. "Slowpoke, huh? I think you'll be eating my dust, Brie!" If it weren't for basketball, he probably would have never caught up to her before she made it to the pond's shore because of her head start. But all that running on the court in college had him sprinting past her in no time. She giggled aloud as he turned his head to wink at her and stick his tongue out in a juvenile way. Troy stopped at the bank of the pond just two short seconds before Gabriella, but those two seconds were enough time for Gabriella to leap firmly onto his muscular torso, knocking them both into the damp grass as they both laughed excitedly.

Their laughter subsided quickly as Troy pulled Gabriella closer to him after collapsing to the ground. He placed a finger under her chin to lift her head level to his and whispered "I win," with a teasing tone before crashing his lips to hers. His arms tightened protectively around her back as the kiss deepened, and Gabriella's fingers flicked through his sandy brown hair that was quickly becoming dusted from the dirty ground they lay upon.

They broke their kiss after needing a breath of air and shared a soft smile. The brunette bent down slightly and pressed a chaste kiss to the tip of his perfectly planed nose before pushing herself up slightly in their horizontal position. Troy lifted his back off the ground and rested on his elbows, almost close enough to touch noses with Gabriella as she straddled his lap with a cheeky grin.

"You might have won that round, sweetie, but I _am_ a better swimmer. You'll have to catch me and drag me out of here if you want to win again," she teased before hopping quickly off and splashing through the shallow water at the shore and plunged under the surface, fully clothed. Gabriella resurfaced further away from shore after a few seconds and beckoned tauntingly for Troy to join her as she treaded water.

Troy sprung quickly to his feet with a smile. "You're on," he said before stripping off his t-shirt and tossing it carelessly to the ground. He trudged through the low-level water at the shore before half-diving into the deeper water towards Gabriella.

She laughed with a shriek after her fiancé re-emerged not two feet from her, shaking the wet fringe of hair out of his eyes. Gabriella quickly swam off in the opposite direction, kicking her legs and feet in the form of a messy front crawl swimming stroke. Her feet splashed water at his face as she kicked them in her attempt to get away, but Troy reached forward swiftly and captured her feet. Another excited scream burst from her lips as he pulled her into him. Troy wrapped Gabriella's legs around his waist before gripping her hips and lifting her out of the water, pressing her tightly to his chest as he did so. Laughter erupted from Gabriella as she tossed her head back with her arms tightly wrapped around Troy's neck.

"I win again," Troy whispered as he ghosted her exposed neck with the tip of his nose after her laughter subsided. She shivered at his touch.

"Not yet," she replied, equally as quiet. Troy was now trailing his tongue and lips along her clavicle and collarbone. Gabriella's breath caught in her throat as she leaned her head back even further. "You still have to… drag me out of… here."

"No problem."

He gripped Gabriella's waist as he switched their positions with one arm and he swam with the other arm to shore, his muscled legs doing most of the work for him. As they reached the shallow water, Troy got to his feet, picked up his fiancé bridal style, and carried her to the bank of the pond. He got to his knees in the sandy mud and laid her down gently. Gabriella's hands traced the features of Troy's face as he leaned over her, his blue eyes sparkling as he leaned in to kiss her.

The kiss began as a soft, tender joining of their lips, but rapidly increased to a hungry clash of lips, teeth and tongue. Fingers threaded through wet hair, hands skimmed along skin underneath cold, wet clothes, and lips trailed over lips, along jaws, and behind earlobes. Passion consumed them as the rest of their clothing was carelessly thrown from their bodies, the moonlight reflecting along their sweat-beaded skin as they intertwined in a blissful dance beneath the stars.

"I love you so much," Troy whispered as they slowly came down from their elated high in the soft grass just before the sandy bank. He pressed a kiss to her temple to validate his words.

Gabriella smiled softly as she traced the prominent muscles of his arm that wrapped protectively around her torso. "I love you, too. Thanks for the wonderful end to my birthday, Troy."

"It was my pleasure." He winked, and Gabriella smacked his arm. "We should probably get back to your mom's house. Even if she is a heavy sleeper, I'd rather not have her wake up and worry about why our clothes are soaked. Plus, we have a long drive ahead of us tomorrow back to L.A." He tossed Gabriella her half of the clothes and his t-shirt, which was laying dry in the grass while they swam. She pulled it on with a thankful smile and followed Troy back to his truck once they were clothed.

He turned on the heat in the truck at full blast to help dry their clothes, and to keep them warm on the way back to East Albuquerque. Gabriella cuddled into his side once again as they drove back to her mother's home, the heat and the wake of the long day gently lulling her to sleep. Troy smiled while running his fingers through her drying, russet curls, watching the diamond ring on her left hand glimmer from the streetlights as they passed, knowing that he couldn't have picked a better woman to marry if he wanted to.

* * *

There's only one chapter left, and I hope to get it up soon! Thank you guys for being such dedicated readers. I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please review! :)


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